MILLVILLE — While 9-year-old Shawn Ronan was tucked in bed fast asleep Sunday night, his dream of a saved life unfolded just a few miles way.

The Millville Fire Department raced against time to quell the flames devouring a home on River Drive while the Millville Rescue Squad was on standby. When two pet cats were pulled from the smoke-filled home, they were treated with a pet oxygen mask donated by Shawn.

One of the cats belonging to Milo and Natasha Hannah succumbed, but the other survived.

Laurel Lake Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company Chief Shawn Ronan, Shawn’s dad, saw the kit in use and called home to inform his son. But the news had to wait until Monday morning when the youngster woke up.

“I was glad,” Shawn said in a phone interview Monday evening. He also saw the photo of Millville Rescue Squad EMT Jeremy Plauché using the oxygen mask on the cat.

Back in October, Shawn launched a fundraising campaign to purchase Wag’N O2 Fur Life pet oxygen masks after seeing an online video of a cat resuscitation. His initial goal was to equip fire stations in Port Norris, Mauricetown and Laurel Lake with the $75 pet-saving devices.

But donations rolled in. Shawn was able to donate 24 kits to area first responders and provide free training from a veterinarian.

Milo Hannah was tending to his home Monday afternoon, coping with little sleep and big shock.

The night before, something went horribly wrong with the gas grill outside, he said. Flames jumped from the grill to the left side of the house and reached into the attic.

Milo and his wife Natasha got out of the house safely, but their two cats remained inside. Natasha tried to crawl back inside to rescue the pets, but thick smoke forced her back, her husband said.

Firefighters located the cats in a bedroom and carried them out.

At his station house Monday afternoon, Plauché explained his unit was on the scene to support the residents and be ready to help if any firefighters were injured.

Then he heard shouts that there were pets inside the home. Firefighters carried the cats from the house and handed them to rescue personnel.

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At first, Plauché said, they used human oxygen masks on the cats, but soon the pet oxygen mask kit donated by Shawn was put into use. The rescue workers grabbed it from Millville Fire Engine 34.

Although Plauché hadn’t gone through the pet lifesaving training Shawn had arranged, he applied what he knew about human lifesaving.

Holding one of the cats, named Bug, in a blanket, Plauché noticed the cat was becoming more alert.

Her eyes darted to take in what was unfolding around her. Her ears began to move.

The moment was captured with a cellphone and shared among rescuers, exactly the type of moment that had inspired Shawn to donate the masks.

Despite their valiant efforts, Milo Hannah said, the couple’s older cat, Peanut, did not survive. He noted rescuers did even more than what could be expected.

Plauché and his colleague Kimberly Rio were nominated for an employee recognition award for their cat-saving efforts, according the rescue squad Chief John Redden.

This isn’t Plauché’s first pet rescue — he saved two dogs in 2011. “It’s a great feeling,” he said.

Milo Hannah commended the Millville Fire Department for its prompt response, which helped spare half of his home from the fire despite smoke and water damage throughout the structure.

“They did a great job,” he said. “I can’t thank them enough.”

Despite so much loss, he’s glad for what he has. He thanked those who helped his pets, including Shawn for his donation of the pet rescue equipment.

“I’m sure if I could talk to Bug, she would say she appreciated it,” Hannah said, adding the cat had a veterinarian appointment scheduled for Monday afternoon.

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